The judge in the hush money trial involving former President Trump has stated that Trump will not be allowed to attend the upcoming Supreme Court arguments on presidential immunity.
The judge previously postponed making a decision on whether to allow Trump to attend his son Barron’s high school graduation in May.
Trump’s attempts to take time off from his hush money trial, which is expected to last for weeks or even months, coincided with the beginning of the trial in Manhattan.
Just before the adjournment of the New York trial on Monday, it was decided that Trump will not be allowed in Washington, D.C. on April 25. This decision was made in light of the Supreme Court’s upcoming oral arguments regarding Trump’s presidential immunity claim in his federal criminal case.
Judge Juan Merchan denied Todd Blanche’s request to allow the former president to skip a trial in New York Supreme Court, emphasizing that arguing before the Supreme Court is significant, but a trial in state court is equally important. “Arguing before the Supreme Court is a big deal, and I can certainly appreciate why your client would want to be there, but a trial in New York Supreme Court… is also a big deal,” Judge Merchan stated.
The judge added that he would see him there next week.
According to New York state law, Trump must be present for the entire duration of his trial unless he receives special permission from the judge to be excused.
After the court session concluded, Trump insinuated that Merchan had a sense of superiority, as he prevented him from attending the oral arguments of the Supreme Court.
According to the former president, Merchan is to blame for his absence at his son Barron’s high school graduation in May. While the judge did not make a final decision on the matter earlier in the day, they did not completely deny the former president’s request to attend the event.
“I was really excited about attending that graduation ceremony with my parents,” Trump expressed to reporters. “Unfortunately, it seems like the judge won’t let me avoid this fraudulent trial. It’s just a complete scam.”
During his comments outside the courtroom, Trump criticized Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg (D) for being present at the trial throughout the day. He insinuated that there are ongoing incidents of crime and violence outside the courthouse, with people being “mugged and killed all day long.”
On the initial day of Trump’s inaugural criminal trial, the focus primarily revolved around resolving pending legal matters. Jury selection commenced after a brief afternoon recess.
Donald Trump faces charges of falsifying business records in relation to a payment made by his former fixer, Michael Cohen, to Stormy Daniels, an adult film actress, before the 2016 election. The payment was intended to suppress allegations of an alleged affair. Trump maintains his innocence and denies any involvement in the affair.
Jury selection is set to continue on Tuesday and may take several days or even weeks.
Read More:
- The Legality of Car Sleeping in Kentucky: What You Need to Know
- Deli worker recounts terrifying incident of unprovoked slashing in Washington Heights
